| Most people agree that the long-term effects | | | | has meant using the cheapest industrial |
| of global warming will be disastrous for the | | | | equipment available and hence causing a great |
| planet and its inhabitants. But predicting | | | | deal of pollution. However, it is possible |
| the exact future impact it will have is a | | | | that these countries will decide to put an |
| very complex task. Those who make | | | | emphasis on preventing global warming and |
| predictions about its long-term effects are | | | | embrace greener technologies. |
| not likely to do so with one hundred percent | | | | |
| accuracy. | | | | Increases in world population increase the |
| | | | likelihood of global warming. Statisticians |
| Some of the difficulties inherent in | | | | can make educated guesses as to how much the |
| forecasting future effects of global warming | | | | world population will increase, but a number |
| have to do with those same factors that make | | | | of factors play a part in population growth |
| it hard for meteorologists to predict the | | | | dynamics. These factors include biological |
| weather correctly on a day-to-day basis. | | | | ones, governmental policies, and global |
| Winds can cool the air or warm it depending | | | | economics. |
| on the direction they take. Cloud cover can | | | | |
| cool a hot day. Air masses move and cause | | | | Cars make a huge contribution to greenhoue |
| storms as cool fronts and warm fronts | | | | gases at the present time. Cars with greater |
| collide. Ocean currents can change the | | | | fuel efficiency could cut those emissions, |
| temperature of the land on which they strike. | | | | and they have already been developed. |
| The earth's atmosphere is constantly in a | | | | Research continues to improve their |
| cycle of evaporation and precipitation. As | | | | performance. There is a question, though, as |
| ice melts in the Polar Regions due to global | | | | to whether the people of the world will |
| warming, the ocean temperatures are affected. | | | | embrace these vehicles. A high initial cost |
| Evaporation rates are in flux. The courses | | | | will probably prevent poor people from having |
| and speeds of ocean currents cannot be | | | | a hybrid or other fuel efficient vehicles. |
| predicted with accuracy. This hard-to | | | | The extent to which this technology is made |
| predict web of weather and global warming are | | | | available to people from lower income |
| a series of interrelated events, many of them | | | | brackets will affect how much greenhouse gas |
| difficult to forsee. | | | | emissions can be cut by their use. |
| | | | |
| The task of predicting the future impact of | | | | While it is nearly impossible to predict the |
| global warming is made more difficult since | | | | future of global warming with complete |
| the actions of people to prevent or | | | | accuracy, it is a subject worthy of |
| expediate it are unknown. Currently there is | | | | consideration. By being able to accurately |
| a strong trend of underdeveloped nations | | | | estimate the damage it will cause, there is |
| striving for modernization. In the past this | | | | more motivation to try to stop it. |